Mich. to hold hearing over disqualification rules of state Supreme Court justices
A public hearing on rules that would disqualify Supreme Court justices from ruling on cases involving a supporter who donated to their campaign will be held by the Michigan Supreme Court on Sept. 2 in Lansing.
With the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Caperton v. Massey in June, it is unconstitutional for an elected judge to rule in a case that involves a supporter who donated a large amount to their campaign.
In June 2007, the Michigan Supreme Court was the only state supreme court in the country with no disqualification rules for justices. In 2009, Chief Justice Marilyn Kelly said she would put the issue on the court’s first administrative hearing in January. Action was deferred until March, after which three proposals for disqualification rules were published.
Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert Young told George magazine in July 2000 he was advised he needed to raise $1 million to run a Supreme Court race. He questioned how impartial one could be if they have to raise such a large sum of money.
“The current system does make it look like the justices are up for sale,” said Justice Maura Corrigan to The Detroit Press after the 2000 election. “I hope people will buy into the need for change.”
According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, more than $30 million has been spent on Michigan Supreme Court campaigns since 2000, but only $13.1 million is accounted for by the candidate’s campaign committees. The largest share, $14.3 million, purchased “issue” advertisements for candidates. An additional $3.3 million in independent expenditures was reported by political action committees.
For more from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network:
- Read “Eyes of Nation on the Michigan Supreme Court”
- Check out recent poll results that show Michiganders want a firewall between judges and campaign supporters
- Learn how MCFN urges Supremes to consider campaign spending in DQ rule
For more from the Midwest Democracy Network:
- Visit the Judicial Independence page
- Download Justice at Stake’s report that documents special interest pressure on Midwest courts
